Work-holder for sewing-machines.



w. L. BARRON. WORK HOLDER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12, I912.

I- I I BY JMZW W) ATTORNEY WILLIAM L. BARRON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WORK-HOLDER FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24;, 1915.

Application filed April 12, 1912. Serial No. 690,413.

New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Work- Holders for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in work-holders for sewing machines more particularly of that class in which feeding and lateral jogging movements are produced between the stitch-forming mechanism and the work-holder whereby groups of distributed tacking stitches of predetermined number are applied to the work; and it is designed more particularly for closing the ends of the pockets for the steels of corsets in such manner as to insure the close proximity of the tacking stitches to the extremities of the steels without endangering the breaking of the needle by striking the latter.

In its preferred form, the work-holder is constructed with a frame having a lower member to which is secured an upwardly inclined spring-blade, and an upper member in which is journaled a presser-bar having a foot provided with a needle-aperture and with a depending stop-shoulder or shoulders disposed close to the needle-aperture and in-' termediate the same and the free extremity of said spring-blade.

The body fabric usually has upon one face a strip secured thereon by spaced parallel seams forming open-ended pockets containing the steels. In the use of the attachment, the presser-foot is lifted slightly above the spring-blade, and the garment is introduced between them and drawn therebetween bythe operator until the end of the portion of fabric distended by the steels encounters and is arrested by the depending shoulders of the foot, when the latter is lowered to clamp the fabric and the tacking stitches are applied close to the ends of the steels.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a rear side elevation of a Singer buttonsewing machine constructed substantially in accordance with the United State'sp'atent to G. S. Gatchell No. 798,130, ofAugust 29, 1905, and embodying the present improvement; and Fig. 2 aperspective view of a portion of the controlling cam-wheel and bolder.

its connections with the work-holden. Fig. 3 1s a perspective View of the presser-foot taken from the upper side, Fig. 4: a similar view of the lower member of the work- "method of introduction of the fabric for a stitching operation. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of fabric showing the ends of two steels confined in their respective pockets by transverse tackingstitches.

The machine represented in the drawings is of that type comprising a rectilinearly reciprocating needle and complemental stitch-forming mechanism and a laterally and longitudinally moving work-holder comprising a frame having the slide-plate 1 and overhanging bracket-arm 2 with head 3 in which is j ournaled for vertical movement the flat presser-bar 4 normally pressed downwardly by means of the spring-arm 5 sustained by the bracket-arm. To the reduced forward end of the slide-plate 1 is secured, by means of the dowel-pins 6, the studscrew 7 and nut 8, the shank 9 of the worksupporting plate 10 constituting the lower jaw of the Work-holder which is shown provided with the double crescent-shaped needle-aperture 11 around which its upper face is roughened or serrated at 12. The work-supporting plate -12 has secured to its outer extremity by means of rivets 13 the foot 14 of an upwardly and backwardly inclined spring'blade 15 whose extremity 1G is shown disposed adjacent the forward edge of the needle-aperture 11 and is shaped to conform therewith.

The presser-bar 4 has a forwardly offset lower portion 4* which carries the presserfoot 17 having a needle-aperture 18 in register with the aperture 11 of the work-supporting plate 10 with which it corresponds in shape. The bottom of the resser-foot has a roughened or serrated surface 19 rearward of the aperture 18 in front of which it is formed with a transverse notch at 20 and provided with the depending lips .21 to afford-stop-shoulders for the work in its introduction and positioning in the work- The machine in connection with which the present improvement is illustrated is constructed with the usual bed-plate 22 and Fig. 6 is an en- 4 overhanging bracket-arm 23 in which is 1 of the lever mounted upon the fixed fulcrum 31 and having upon its lower end a ball-and-socket connection 32'with the link member 33 connected at the opposite end by means of the swivel-block 34 with one arm 35 of an angle-lever whose other arm 36 is connected with a cross slide-block 37 to which the work-holder slide-plate 1 is suitably attached. The cam-groove 28 is formed in a series of steps to impart through the mechanism just described transverse toand-fro feeding movements to the workthe bracket 40 and having an upper arm 41 carrying the roller-stud 42 which enters the jogging cam-groove 43 of the cam-wheel 27. The post 38 has adjustably secured thereon by means of the set-screw 44 the block 45 fitted within the bore of the arm 39 and adapted to communicate reciprocatory or jogging movements therefrom to the slideplate 1 through the post 38.

The stitch-forming mechanism comprises the usual needle 46 carried by therectilinearly reciprocating needle-bar 47 journaled in the head of the. bracket-arm 23 and operatively connected with the main-shaft 24.

In order to raise and lower the upper member of the work-holder or clamp, the Presser-bar 4 is provided with a forwardly extending pin 48 passing through aslot in the cover-plate of the head 3 of the work-V holder bracket-aim, and beneath this pin ex- 45 "tends the laterally projecting arm 49 having fss a boss 50 adjustably secured by means of the set-screw 51 upon the lower end of thelifting bar 52 which is journaled in the head of the bracket-arm 23 and provided near its upper end with the fixed collar 53 beneath which extends. the forward extremity of the rock-lever 54 mounted upon the fixed fulcrum-stud 55 and adapted to be actuated by atreadle connection to lift the bar 52 for raising the upper clamp member. The

lower extremity of the head of the bracketarm 23 affords a stop-shoulder 2 3 for en'- gagement of the upper end of the boss 50 ofthe lateral arm 49, and in practice this is so set upon the lifting bar 52 that when the foot 17 is raised by actuation of the'rocklever 54, the lower operative face 19 of the foot will be only slightly above the free operative end of the spring-blade 15, as represented in Fig. 6, so as to permit the body fabric to pass freely between such parts while the thickened portion thereof containing the ends of the corset steels will be engaged by the stop-shoulders 21 in the introduction of the garment for a stitching operation.

As represented in Fig. 7, the body fabric a has secured to its inner face by means of the parallel lines 8 of straight-away stitching the pocket strip 6 with inturned edges and interposed lining strip 0, thereby producing the initially open-ended pockets d in which are confined the steels e, in practice covered with paper or other suitable material and provided with the metal tips 6. As before indicated, preparatory to a stitching operation the presser-foot is lifted to clear the free end ofv the spring-blade 15 and the garment drawn in between them until the thickened and stiflened portions adjacent the ends of the steels e are engaged by the depending stop-shoulders 21, the adjacent unstifi'ened portion of the fabric being deflected below the latter, as represented in Fig. 6. The presser-foot is then lowered and the machine set in motion, which, in the machine represented in the drawings, causes the application of two superposed crescentshaped transverse seams t across both 'pocketsd close to the tips 0. The foot 17 is formed at its forward edge with an angular projection 17 serving as a pointer in connection with the middle seam s to gage the position of the tacking cross-seams t.

It will be observed that the notch 20 in the bottom of the resser-foot affords workengaging faces at different levels upon opposite sides of the needle-aperture 11 so as to properly accommodate the thicker and thinner portions of the fabric, that portion provided with the steels e being maintained seated within the bearing face of said notch by the resiliently sustained work-supporting A member afforded by the free outer end of the spring-blade 15. While the stop-shoulder or shoulders 21 are preferably disposed intermediate the needle-aperture and the adjacent extremity of the spring-blade 15 to adapt the work-holder for closing the pockets for the steels in corsets, it is evident that the stops may be otherwise located relative to the needle-aperture for different classes of work, and also that the resilient work-support need not be confined wholly to a position at one side of the needle-aperture, so long as it operates, when 'thepresserfootis lifted, to lightly press the work against the bottom of the presser-foot for engagement witht-he depending shoulder. so as to insure the proper location .of the thickened part of the fabric designed to receive the tacking stitches.

It is not essential, in the broader aspect of the present improvement, that the spring blade or pressure-member be sustained by the lower work-clamping member, nor that the work-positioning stop-shoulder be located upon the upper work-clamping member, as the nature of the work to be performed and the character of the garment operated upon may exercise an influence in determining in reference to these details.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1. A sewing machine work-holder comprising a clamping foot provided with two wo1'kengaging faces and with a needle aperture intermediate said faces, a resilient work-supporting member opposed to one of said faces, and a stop shoulder intermediate the end of said work-supporting member and the needle aperture.

2. A sewing machine work-holder comprising a clamping foot having its bottom notched to afford work-engaging faces at different levels and provided with a needle aperture intermediate said faces andwith adjacent depending stop-shoulders, and a work-supporting spring-blade having a free outer end opposed to the notched portion of said presser-foot.

3. A sewing machine work-holder comprising a clamping foot provided with a needle-aperture intermediate work-engaging faces in different planes, a stop-shoulder intermediate'said needle-aperture and one of the said work-engaging faces, and an upwarly inclined work-supporting member adapted to cooperate with one of the work engaging faces of said foot.

47. A sewing machine work-holder comprising a frame, a spring-blade secured to and sustained by said frame, and a presserbar journaled in said frame and having a foot provided with a needle-aperture and j with a depending stop-shoulder intermediate said needle-aperture and the operative edge of said spring-blade.

5. A sewing machine work-holder comprising a frame, a work-supporting plate secured thereto and provided with a needleaperture, an upwardly inclined spring-blade secured to said work-supporting plate and having its free edge adjacent said needleaperture, and a spring-pressed presser-bar journaled in said frame and having a foot provided with a needle-aperture in register with that of the work-supporting plate and provided also with a depending stop-shoulder disposed intermediate said needle-aperture and the adjacent edge of said springblade.

G. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism, of a workholder comprising a frame, a work-supportthe level of the outer operative portion of.

said spring-blade.

7 A sewing machine work-holder comprising a clamping foot provided with a needle'aperture intermediate work-engaging faces in different planes, a stop-shoulder intermediate said needle-aperture and one of the said work-engaging faces, and a resilient work-supporting member adapted to cooperate with one of the work-engaging faces of said foot.

8. A sewing machine work-holder comprising a spring-pressed clamping foot formed with a needle-aperture and with a notch extending to the outer edge of said foot, a stop-shoulder intermediate said needle-aperture and notch, and a resilient worksupporting member adapted to cooperate with said notched portion of the clamping foot inarresting a projection from the body of a fabric. y

9. In a sewing machine, the combination clamping members relatively movable toward and from each other, an intermediate spring-member adapted to press the work with stitch -forming mechanism, of a workholder comprising opposed upper and lower upon the face of one of said clamping members in their retracted relation, and a stopshoulder extending partially. across the space between the last-named clamping member and said spring-member and'adapted to engage and arrest a projection from the body of a fabric introduced between them, and lifting means including a stop ,whereby the retraction of the last-named clamping member is arrested whenits lower face is at substantially the level of said spring-member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence 0 two subscribing witnesses.

7 WILLIAM L. BARRON. Witnesses D..B. BIRNm, WM. P. STEWART. 

